NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology: Evolution of Masting as a Mechanism for Forest Resilience under Climate Change

这项行动资助了2023财年的NSF生物学博士后研究奖学金，扩大了生物学中代表性不足的群体的参与。该研究金支持研究员的一项研究和培训计划，该计划将增加在生物学领域代表性不足的群体的参与。森林覆盖了地球上近三分之一的土地，是生命系统最基本和最广泛的组成部分，正在经历不可逆转的变化。气温的长期变化导致大量树木死亡，限制了树木的补充潜力。然而，令人惊讶的是，人们对森林系统中长期生殖模式的遗传机制知之甚少。这项研究探讨了被称为桅杆的繁殖现象，它涉及随着时间的推移，树木之间的繁殖输出突然激增。这项研究的目的是利用从两个桅杆皮农松物种获得的遗传物质来测试关于这种生殖策略背后的遗传机制如何与变暖趋势相关的预测。研究结果将产生一种预测方法，以预测森林系统对温度变化的长期适应能力。该项目还将积极从林业学科代表性不足的群体中招募学生，让他们沉浸在基于学生现实生活经验的活动中，以创造有意义的实地研究经验。将以青年为中心的观点融入研究项目将鼓励学生将自己理解为科学实践者和科学界的成员。该研究比较了居住在不同地理区域的皮农松（Pinus edulis）和单叶皮农松（Pinus monophylla）物种，以了解这些物种对与温度相关的环境梯度的各自适应性。这一目标将通过三个目标来实现，包括（1）鉴定与生殖性状相关的基因变异（等位基因）（例如，种子大小），（2）检查这些变体如何随时间和地形（与温度梯度相关）而变化，以及（3）确定是否相同的遗传基因座（与肥大相关的等位基因发生）影响两个物种的生殖性状;最后一个目标将确定相应物种的耐温种群如何响应较高的温度状况而进化。该研究员将受益于创建和分析功能基因组数据集的培训，建立与森林复原力有关的合作网络，并加强指导和教学技能。这包括一个多层次的，接近同行的研究沉浸式体验，将土著知识与管理技能相结合;扩大参与将包括高中和本科生，以及一个峰会，以提高这些目标在多个利益相关者群体。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2023, Broadening Participation of Groups Underrepresented in Biology. The Fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow that will increase the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. Forests cover nearly a third of all land on Earth, represent the most fundamental and widespread components of living systems, and are experiencing irreversible transformations. Long-term changes in temperatures have induced massive tree die-offs and have limited the potential for recruitment. Nonetheless, surprisingly little is known about the genetic mechanisms that underlie long-term reproductive patterns in forest systems. This study explores the reproductive phenomenon known as masting which involves sudden spikes in reproductive output among trees over time. The study aims to use genetic material obtained from two masting piñon pine species to test predictions about how genetic mechanisms underlying this reproductive strategy relate to warming trends. The findings will produce a forecasting methodology to predict long-term resilience of forest systems to temperature change. The project will also proactively recruit students from groups underrepresented in forestry disciplines and immerse them in activities that build on students’ real-life experiences to create meaningful field-based research experiences. Integrating a youth-centered perspective into the research project will encourage students to understand themselves as both practitioners of science and as members of the scientific community.The study compares the piñon pine (Pinus edulis) and the single-leaf piñon pine (Pinus monophylla) species that reside in differing geographic regions to understand the respective adaptations of these species to environmental gradients associated with temperature. This goal will be accomplished through three objectives that include (1) identifying gene variants (alleles) associated with reproductive traits (e.g., seed size), (2) examining how these variants change over time and terrain (in association with temperature gradients), and (3) determining if the same genetic loci (where alleles associated with masting occur) impact reproductive traits in both species; this last objective will determine how warm-tolerant populations of the respective species have evolved in response to higher temperature regimes. The Fellow will benefit from training to create and analyze functional genomic data sets, establishing collaborative networks related to forest resilience, and strengthening mentorship and teaching skills. This includes a multi-level, near-peer research immersion experience that integrates Indigenous knowledge with management skills; Broadening Participation will include high school and undergraduate students as well as a summit to elevate these goals across multiple groups of stakeholders.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.